HJ Hitler Youth Knife – Krebs Carl Julius, Solingen

Product Description: This HJ Hitler Youth Knife is a later war produced piece, with lots of appeal. The blade is very nice with good shine. It shows small marks from having been cleaned and used, which is typical for these, as they were used as Boy Scout knives. It’s marked on the ricasso with the round RZM emblem and the maker code “M7/5” indicating manufacture by the firm of Carl Julius Krebs in Solingen. The maker mark is the “Straight 5” variant. The brown leather buffer pad is intact. The handle on this one is nice, with a tight fit from blade to hilt. The grip diamond is very nice, with all its enamel intact, and does have movement in the diamond which you like to see. The grips exhibit some wear, with a fine crack on the rear grip plate and some small scratches on the front. The metal fittings on the handle show minimal plating loss. This nice HJ Hitler Youth Knife is complete with its original scabbard. The scabbard body appears to have been repainted in the period, as was often done. The leather hanger on the scabbard is in very good condition, and is serviceable, with a functional snap closure on the retaining strap. This is a great representative example of this desirable knife. The condition rates as excellent.

Historical Description: The Hitler Youth Knife (Hitlerjugend Fahrtenmesser) was introduced in the summer of 1933, shortly after the Nazi seizure of power in Germany. It was produced by a multitude of manufacturers and could be purchased from authorized shops for a price of 4 Reichsmarks. It was used not only as a dress sidearm, but as a functional camping tool, and these were commonly sharpened by their original owners. The earliest examples bore the motto of the Hitler Youth, “Blut und Ehre!” (Blood and Honor), etched on the blade. The blades on these early knives were marked with commercial manufacturer logos. They had nickel silver handles, and anodized metal scabbards. The use of the etched motto was discontinued in August 1938. Later HJ knives had nickel plated steel handles, painted scabbards, and the maker logos were replaced with an RZM code along with the year of manufacture. There are also transitional types that still have the etched motto but have dates on the blade ricasso. Manufacture of these knives is believed to have ceased around 1942. All HJ knives have the diamond emblem of the Hitler Youth on the handle.

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